Thursday, July 9, 2015

Robo-Truck ?

The semi
of the future makes a splash at Hoover Dam.

The Truck of the Future is here – and while it can drive itself in most highway
situations, there is still a driver behind the wheel.

With much fanfare, Freightliner introduced the Inspiration at a May launch in
Las Vegas, driving the Class 8 truck, a “semi” or 18-wheeler, around Hoover Dam
without human intervention. In the Inspiration, Freightliner’s ACC Plus
controls steering, distance and speed, from driving to stopping. Radar scans
for vehicles nearby and camera systems recognize lane markings in highway
driving.Inspiration
is a Level 3 of autonomous vehicle; Class 4 would mean totally self-operating.
When the system encounters a situation it can’t handle, it notifies the driver
and switches back to manual mode. The truck can’t navigate regular roads, read
or respond to road signs or traffic lights, change lanes, enter or exit the
highway, or dock by itself.Autonomous trucking is more likely to help than hinder trucking jobs, according
to Freightliner’s parent company. For example, regulations on shift length and
time could change if research the auto mode reduces driver fatigue. Over
monotonous highway miles, Inspiration’s autonomous features increase safety,
reduce driver stress and fatigue, and optimizes time available to manage
business and dispatch tasks on the road, allowing the driver to function as an
on-road logistics manager.Inspiration’s
automated system allows the driver to take feet, hands, and even eyes off the
controls, but not his or her mind off the road. The same rules–such as no
texting nor napping–still apply in Inspiration’s driver’s seat. Touching brakes
or wheel instantly overrides the autopilot. Inspiration also incorporates a
myriad of energy-saving features, including an array of solar panels covering
the trailer’s roof, that allow it to more than double the average Class 8 fuel
consumption, attaining 12.2 mpg. Cummins, Volvo and Navistar are also working
on advanced truck designs.According
to Morgan Stanley, complete autonomous capability will be here by 2022,
followed by massive market penetration by 2026 and the cars we know and love
today then entirely extinct in another 20 years thereafter. Other research
reports estimate significant penetration by 2035 or so.So when you pass an 18-wheeler, pump your arm, and maybe the driver will blow
the horn for you. You can tell your grandkids about it someday.

About TOTALogistix

TOTALogistix is a privately held corporation headquartered in Sparta, NJ. We helped define the Third Party Logistics Industry in 1991. Today we provide a wide spectrum of transportation and related supply chain management services to manufacturers, retailers and distributors throughout North America.
In our 20+ years in business, we’ve saved money for nine out of ten companies whose transportation we’ve analyzed. We’re confident we can do the same for you. Improving logistics performance starts here.